FAQ

Why do I need Minilift?

No longer will the ups-and-downs of stairs terrorize you or loved ones who just simply can’t. We have the best solution.
Minilift USA is a special line of ultra-compact elevators for transporting passengers, pets, elderly people, wheelchair users, small loads, overweight people and anyone with special locomotion needs.

Its design was developed to meet the demand for an elegant, functional, safe and space-saving product, with the benefits of having a very affordable cost.
Family and quality of life are priceless things. Nevertheless, Minilift lets enjoy those things with the best cost-benefit in the elevator market.

We take you higher!

Where can I use a Minilift?

Although its original concept was for residential use (houses and penthouse apartments), it also has been widely used around the world in small businesses, industries, and other institutions through restricted and controlled use. However, the limits of its use may vary according to specific legislation of each state or city.

Does Minilift demand a significant construction work?

Minilift does not require the construction of a pit, an engine room, or a tower (shaft) around it. Its attachment can be made directly to a smooth and structured wall that extends from the ground to the top floor.

Can I install Minilift in a corridor, closet or starting from a garage?

Yes, you can. Different from other home lift models, Minilift has an exclusive system which does not require any kind of column for its support, removing what would typically be in your way. Therefore, the cabin may remain parked on the upper or lower floor, allowing the possible movement of people and objects on the opposite floor.

This is possible due to a protection steel cover that automatically closes the opening on the top floor when the cabin is on the ground floor, allowing people to walk over this cover.

Due to its ultra-reduced dimensions, it can also be installed in the most surprising and unusual places, either in the corner of a room, starting from a garage, arriving inside a closet, or even in a corridor.

Does Minilift require an intensive maintenance?

Minilift requires little maintenance (but always needed for any elevator) and requires no special procedures for its repair or conservation. It can be serviced by any company or specialized electrician available in the region. Being a globally marketed lift, it uses standard parts that can be purchased throughout the US.

How long is the product warranty?

The standard Minilift warranty time for defective parts is up to two years. Please, see the warranty terms for more information.

What is the space normally required for its installation?

The Minilift line is, beyond a shadow of doubt, the most compact lift in the market. The Minilift Unno model, for a passenger, occupies only 5.25sf (0.49m2)! Minilift Unno HC (for wheelchair users) occupies only 10.5sf (1.0m2).

What are the necessary building works for its installation?

Unlike conventional elevators and home lifts, Minilift fundamentally only requires an opening on the upper floor (through where the elevator will pass), an electric power point, and a sufficiently structured wall where the rails will be fixed. Usually, a small contractor can perform these jobs in a couple of days.

How a Minilift is powered?

The standard power supply of Minilift is three-phase 220/380 VAC x 60Hz x 1.5 hp (1,100 W). However, it can be optionally connected to a single-phase 220VAC or 110VAC outlet socket (using an autotransformer).

Is Minilift safe?

Of course, it is! The whole Minilift line is equipped with important sensors and safety devices:
– The cabin has its sides closed to avoid that any passenger or object can overpass its limits during the travel.
– The front door has a special safety electric lock, which has two independent pressure switches in order to confirm if the door is completely closed and locked. Furthermore, the door lock cannot be opened out of the leveling zone.
– A pressure-sensitive panel below the cabin (the safety-pan) interrupts the placement in case of obstruction to the movement of descent. This is a very important feature to prevent accidents and comply with international standard requirements.
– A reserve safety brake, by mechanical grippers of tempered steel, is instantaneously activated in the very improbable case of a break or loosening of the steel cable.
– The movement is possible only by a permanent action (constant pressure) of the cabin button or remote control buttons.
– The control panel has special circuit breakers, fuses, and all devices used in the 110/220VAC section are UL certified. The cabins are exclusively powered by 24VCC with limited power (<100KVA) to protect passengers from electric shocks and prevent fires.
– A short-circuit detector for the ground prevents the accidental contact between metallic frames and safety electrical parts which could cause bad functioning of the system.
– And of course switches decelerate and stop the cabin on the top and bottom independently if the operator remains pressuring the remote control and cabin push-buttons.
– Emergency push button on the cabin panel.

How long does it take to install this equipment?

All Unno Minilift cabins as well as the traction system, are shipped to the installation site fully assembled and pre-tested. Thus, if the contractor correctly performed the installation site, generally all the equipment is installed in about 8 hours.

What happens in a lack of energy or in an electric fail?

Minilift can be optionally supplied with a special sinusoidal inverter that is able to level the cabin to the down floor or even supply the necessary energy for some additional travels (up and down).

Regardless, for all models, the motor has a supplementary pulley and brake-opening lever for emergency manual leveling of the cabin.

Does Minilift have a low-noise operation?

Yes, it is very quiet. Minilift traction machine’s are equipped with one of the most trusted and precise gearbox’s, produced by International Germany Company, SEW, which also has factories in US.

Can I eventually resell or transport my Minilift to another location?

Minilift elevators keep their portability characteristics even after installation. In other words, it can be completely disassembled in less than an hour and transported to another location or residence.

However, it is important to keep in mind that experience has shown that residences with Minilift’s installed are highly valued.

Is Minilift really the best option?

Absolutely! Compare and think about the available alternatives:

– Conventional elevators, even the home lift models, occupy an enormous amount of space and are quite expensive mainly considering home lifts that aren’t destined for intensive use, go to waste, making no sense in paying more for them. Moreover, the associated building work costs demanded for their installation (tower, pit, energy supplying and machine room) are much more expensive from the elevator cost (generally going from $30,000 to $50,000)!

– Open platforms, even when traveling inside a tower, they aren’t as safe as Minilift’s, produce a significant level of noise, are very heavy (can overload the house floor), occupy large spaces, demand more expensive maintenance, and cannot be moved to another site since they are produced specifically for the height of an installation site.

– Stair lifts cannot transport pets, loads or wheelchairs safely. They are very slow, interfere significantly with the house space and the stair path, are very expensive for non-straight stairs, have low load capacity and are completely inadequate for overload passengers.
Stair lifts also have an excessively bureaucratic use procedure forcing the passengers to put seat belts, make turns in the seat, up and down arms of the chair, and barriers. Finally, very often, it is difficult (and even dangerous) for an elderly to take the seat by himself/herself, mainly on top of the stair.

– Alternative home lifts generally need columns or towers that interfere hardly with the house paths and spaces. Furthermore, some models are equipped with cabin self-contained drivers that make a lot of the maintenance and the emergency operations in case of internal electrical fail (remember that all electromechanical devices can fail) more difficult. Finally, round elevators have a poor relation between their capacity and the occupied area which it is critical with wheelchair use.